Astellas Pharma Inc. and GO Therapeutics, Inc. announced that Xyphos Biosciences, Inc., (a wholly owned subsidiary of Astellas, Xyphos) and GO have entered into a strategic research collaboration and license agreement to develop novel immuno-oncology therapeutics.
GO is applying new advances in glycoproteomics to develop antibody-based cancer therapeutics that specifically target cancer cells. Xyphos holds a novel and proprietary ACCEL technology platform that uses its convertibleCAR (convertible Chimeric Antigen Receptor) on immune cells.
Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will collaborate exclusively to identify novel antibodies with high affinity to two different glycoprotein targets and apply these antibodies to a range of therapeutic modalities. GO will lead the collaboration to discover high-affinity antibodies against the two targets, and Astellas will be responsible for research activities, clinical development and commercialization of the therapeutics derived from the antibodies provided by GO.
Under the terms of the agreement, Xyphos will pay GO Therapeutics US$ 20.5 million in upfront cash. Milestone and contingency payments could total up to another US$ 763 million.
